Hide and Seek
by obsessive-elphaba
Summary: Young Neji had not been one to socialize. He would just stare with lost eyes at all the little children. He couldn't relate, and he didn't know how. "I found you! You're it!" NejiTen featuring the then and now. Fluff


NejiTen~Hide And Seek

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_Young Neji had not been one to socialize. He would just stare with lost eyes at all the little children. He couldn't relate, and he didn't know how. "I found you! You're it!"_

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The Konoha Ninja Academy was almost like a daycare. For young children they barely learned the basic kick through a wooden plank trick. Neji hated that he was in the younger group. It wasn't bragging when he said he was the most experienced in his group. He was experienced in basic ninja skills at that. He was growing weary of the simple tricks they were teaching. He found little if any joy in watching the others fail to succeed in them.

There was one girl who was about as talented as him. She could easily do the simple tasks put up for her. She wanted to do a few harder things. There were things she possessed different than him. She spoke a bit more than he did, and she was definitely more spontaneous. Her father was a weapons master, and she often sneaked a few of her favorites to school.

One time she showed him some, but he simply paid her no mind, "Which one do you like best?" she asked with a small smile on her face. He gave her an unamused look. At this she had giggled, "You don't talk much do you?" The boy watched blankly as she lost some of her enthusiasm and walked away mumbling, "I just thought you looked a little lonely..."

Neji had taken to watching her more often. She had only a few friends, but she seemed happy with her company. Her mother always put her hair in ponytails each morning, but everyday she'd take them out and put her hair into buns. This task looked much easier than it was, for young Neji would try this on his own hair when at home.

Her name was TenTen. He supposed she was his age which was only six, but she looked a little younger than him for some reason. She had an inviting smile that he really liked. Though she loved those weapons her father had, her favorite thing to do would definitely be playing games.

TenTen's favorite game was hide and seek. Sometimes she would hide behind the tree that he always sat under, "Don't tell them I'm back here," she'd whisper to him pleadingly. She loved to win, and he wouldn't mess that up for her. Frankly, he felt at ease in her company.

"Do you ever play hide and seek?" She asked him after she had been found three times that day. Neji shook his head, "Well why don't you come play with us?"

Young Neji had not been one to socialize. When ever surrounded by people, he was almost always the youngest. He would either be surrounded by his elders, or his young cousin would be with them as well. If ever having the opportunity to speak to a child, he would just stare with lost eyes at all the little children.

"Come on, it'll be fun! GUYS! Neji-chan's going to play with us!"

"EW!" one kid screeched as the others soon followed suit.

A little girl with a ponytail stuck out her tongue, "We wouldn't play with the likes of him."

Neji said nothing, but he stared at the ground with sad hollow eyes. TenTen grabbed his arm as her friends scoffed and ran to go play another game, "Come on! We can play all by ourselves. You be it! I'm going to go hide!" She bowed and ran away before he could even protest that this was a dumb game to play with two people.

Silently, young Neji closed his eyes and counted to thirty. He finished after a whilie and stalked around the playground; the very first place he suspected her was behind his tree. Neji stuck his head behind it, finding no signs of her. He next checked behind the twirly cave slide, but still she wasn't there. He searched underneath every picnik table, but the little girl was still not found. Where could she be? Everywhere he thought to look, TenTen was never caught. That's when he saw her - the little buns in her hair made her stand out - she was running towards the sandbox where he had counted. She was about to reach base! Neji raced after her and tackled her right before her foot stepped through the barrier.

He lay on top of her victoriously, but she frowned. What was wrong? "How'd you find me?"

Neji sat up and in turn helped her, "I saw your hair."

TenTen felt at the buns on her hair, "Awww," she fumbled with them and let them loose, "I guess I can't wear my buns anymore if it makes it so easy for you to find me."

"No!" Neji almost shouted, which surprised the young girl who was running her fingers through her frayed hair. "I like your buns," he gave her a small smile.

The little girl smiled huge at him and jumped into the sandbox, "You found me, so I'm it. You better find a really good hiding place because I'm really good at this!" She warned pointing a sharp finger at him.

Neji nodded and ran off as she counted loudly. He sat right behind his tree, for he figured: he sat there all the time - she wouldn't suspect him there. Soon he could see her jump out the sandbox and call, "Ready or not, here I come!" Now was his chance! Young Neji ran as fast as he could to make it to the sandbox - it was always much safer to get there early. "Aha!" TenTen screamed as she ran after him. Neji was fast and one of the best students in his class, so it was really shocking when a little girl tackled him to the ground. "I found you! You're it!"

Neji sat up, supporting her weight on his lap, "How'd you find me?"

TenTen stuck out her tongue, "I saw your hair." Neji tossed sand at her, which she quickly returned fire to. He was about to sit up and be it when she looked away. TenTen frowned now, "Awww, my mom's here." Neji wanted to scream. What? He was having so much fun! TenTen stood up and smiled sweetly, "I'll see you tomorrow, Neji-chan!" With that said, she bent down and kissed him on the cheek. Neji blushed deeply, but she didn't know because she ran towards her mom.

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Neji sat quietly by his team, watching Lee and Gai sob over the many wonderful qualities of youth they saw in each other. It was annoying, but he had grown accustomed to it. "Hey, Neji," TenTen hissed so not to distract the guys in green spandex. He shifted his glance towards her and she said, "What's gotten you down?" Neji just stared at her; he didn't reply. TenTen glowered at his silence and mumbled, "Geesh, I just thought you looked down."

Neji looked away but got a strange idea, or it was strange to the way Neji usually is. After a moment of just Rock Lee and his sensei sobbing Neji spoke, "Let's play hide and seek."

Everyone was quiet for a moment before Gai shouted, "Oh, Neji! That's such a youthful thing to suggest!"

"The power of youth is surely reigning among us all!" Lee cried simultaneously.

TenTen actually noticed the strange behavior and raised an eyebrow. Neji stared at her. Behind his hollow eyes there was a begging hopeful spirit urging for her to say yes. "Okay," she mumbled confusedly before smirking, "but you're it." The three shinobi raced off as Neji counted silently in his head. Once he opened his eyes, Neji heard soft shoutings of how youthful it was that they were both to hide in the same place. He thought it was best to leace the spandex lovers to their love fest and searched for TenTen.

He would not to cheat and use his byakugan, but there was one place he just knew she would be. Hurrying to the old playground where they first played this lovely game, he tackled her sitting form behind the tree. Her wide eyes suggested the surprise that he'd found her so quickly. Neji pinned her to the ground and whispered, "I found you. You're it."

TenTen was breathless with surprise, "How'd you find me? You used your byakugan, didn't you? Neji you can't cheat in hide and go-" But Neji cut her off with a bold pair of lips.

Neji didn't understand how he found her so fast, but he'd swear he hadn't cheated. "Hey Mr." a little kid kicked them out of their lip-locking. They looked to him swiftly, "Are you guys in love?"

The pair turned back to each other. TenTen looked absolutely flustered. "That's how I found you," Neji whispered.

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I'm still not completely satisfied with the ending... but oh well, I wanted to finish it up today. I started this on Valentine's Day, but abandoned it for a while. Hope you enjoyed it. Leave a review if you care.


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